General Motors, Leader In The Development Of Mexican Engineering
* Distance Education Technology
* Linking the most prestigious Universities in the world
Mexico, D.F. - Engineers working for General Motors de Mexico were recognized by Gary Cowger, President of GM North America, and Arturo Elias, President of GM Mexico, for graduating from prestigious Universities in the United States, such as: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Purdue University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Of the Mexican graduates, 25 received a Master of Science in Engineering, with a special emphasis on Technology Administration, and a Master of Science in Engineering in Manufacturing; 49 graduates were awarded an Academic Achievement Award, granted to those employees covering 50% of the Master of Science in Engineering program, and 10 were distinguished with the Value Added Award in recognition of employees who have contributed with projects developed during their Master courses, generating important savings, quality improvements, and greater efficiency and reliability for General Motors.
During the celebration, the Governor of the State of Guanajuato, Juan Carlos Romero Hicks, Miguel Angel Correa Jasso, Representative of the Minister of Education and Dean of the National Politechnical School in Mexico, Instituto Politécnico Nacional; John Dickson, Minister and Counselor for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, and the representatives of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Jack Hu; Ray Eberts from the University of Purdue and Bill Jennings from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Federico Graef Ziehl, Director of the Program for the Support of Science in Mexico from CONACYT, Carlos Gelista, Director of Public and Government Affairs for GM Mexico and Bill Beaumont, Engineering Director for GMM were present.
During the Graduation Ceremony held at GM de Mexico's Corporate Building, Siglo XXI, Gary Cowger, the main champion of this Program for Technical Education in Mexico in 1996 during his administration as President of GMM, said:
"General Motors is an organization that is constantly learning. It is the only way in which a company and its people can continue being the technological leaders."
He added that in our industry, automobile design, manufacturing and marketing are always competing. This is the reason why we need to grow stronger, in order to be able to grow and develop in markets like Mexico. The only way to improve our profitability is by cost reduction in every business area, and this can only be achieved through ongoing learning. In GM Mexico, like other divisions, our approach is to do more with less, through coaching and training in every one of our processes. Engineers work on actual projects as an opportunity in their own areas, generating, thus, very important savings.
In this regard, Arturo Elias, President of GM Mexico stated that during the last five years, Mexican engineering has developed, proof of this is the establishment of an Technical Engineering Regional Center in Toluca. This center is equal to those corporate centers located in different countries across the world, like Germany, Brazil, the United States and Japan. Mexican engineers are trained in Toluca, and can then continue their education and obtain postgraduate studies with the support of more than 40 of the most prestigious universities in the world, thanks to the Technical Education Program, TEP.
He stated also that while Mexican engineers are offered the possibility to grow and develop, this is also supporting the country to become one of the world leaders in the creation of knowledge.
Correa Jasso recognized GM's efforts while stressing that "the ongoing improvement of our employees to strengthen the company in a globalized world can only be achieved through technological innovation, which only occurs when it is supported by highly developed scientific research."
Finally, he said that actions like those of GM are consistent with the statements of President Vicente Fox Quesada, "Who has instructed us all in an educational formula of quality, excellence and immediate application to meet the needs to update the technological knowledge of Mexican students."
TEP is a program which provides its community of engineers with the most advanced technological knowledge that will provide them with the competitive advantages obtained through quality education of the 40 main academic institutions in the world. Thanks to the professionalization of its engineers, through their education, GM has generated important savings in projects developed in the virtual classrooms, which were then applied in their working area, representing during the last two and one half years a cost reduction of more than 70 million dollars.
TEP is a distance education alternative which utilizes the newest technological tools. A program instituted by GMM since 1996, but that is in effect in the corporation since 1984. TEP offers 14 different careers; 50 percent of the course includes practical applications in the working area. However, it also includes distance education techniques like: Video, Internet, CD-ROM, Videoconferences and the participation in classes linked to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
General Motors, (NYSE_GM), the biggest vehicle manufacturer in the world, designs, builds and markets automobiles and trucks across the world. During 2001, GM earned $1.5 billion dollars on sales of $177.3 billion, excluding special items. GM has almost 362.000 employees in the world.
For more information visit : http//tep.gm.com.
General Motors has been present in Mexico for 66 years. Currently it has three manufacturing complexes located in Toluca, the State of Mexico; Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila; Silao, Guanajuato and a Corporate Building in Mexico City, marketing the Chevrolet, Pontiac, Cadillac-Saab brands.